Psych evaluation

Posted on Mon Nov 6th, 2023 @ 11:05am by Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Lieutenant Sarah Wilson

Mission: Repairs and Retribution
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: After return to the Sunfire

Having spent some restful recovery time in quarters with Savar, Aurora made her way to Sickbay to see Sarah. Sitting around Quarters was okay, but she wanted to get back to work and put recent events behind her. She couldn’t do that until Sarah approved both on medical and psychological grounds.

Walking into Sickbay Aurora smiled as she approached where Sarah was. “Hi Sarah, do you have a few minutes?”

The good doctor looked up as the ship's counsellor entered sickbay. "Of course, how are 'we' feeling today?" She asked, picking up a tricorder as if by second nature.

Alison smiled warmly. “We are feeling much better, thank you. It feels so good to be home! Speaking of which I want to get back to work.”

Sarah consulted her tricorder and confirmed what her visual scan had already told her. Aurora was recovering nicely after the ordeal on Kunar, but Sarah still had concerns over her psychological recovery. Being held against her will for a prolonged period of time, deprived of basic human needs had to have some kind of effect.

"Shall we continue this in my office?" She asked, nodding towards her office where they could conduct their conversation in private.

“Of course” Aurora nodded and moved towards Sarah’s Office. Once inside she took a seat and waited for the inevitable questions that were coming.

Entering the office Sarah took a seat behind the desk and activated the room seal once Aurora was settled and comfortable. It wasn't uncommon for the CMO to conduct private meetings in her office and so no-one so much as batted an eyelid as the door locked and the usually see through windows turned opaque.

" Are you comfortable?" She asked, making sure Aurora was ready to start.

Aurora nodded. “As comfortable as I’m going to be, like they say therapists make the worst patients!”

"I believe they are on par with doctors and Captain's" Sarah quipped as she looked over Aurora's medical and psychological profile.

"Now, how are you feeling after your ordeal on the planet?" She started. The counsellor like the rest of the crew had had a tough few months.

“I’m feeling...better.” Aurora offered a smile. “I wasn’t subjected to the terrible treatment that Rhenora was subjected to, aside from the rack.” She paused. “That was...” she shrugged her shoulders. “The Mrs wanted me to betray Savar, I refused.”

"So you were being used as leverage against your husband. That can't have put you in a good position physically or mentally considering your advancing pregnancy" Sarah remarked, resisting the urge to take another tricorders scan to convince herself.

“The Mrs wanted to see us all suffer, given the harm she did to Savar, Rhenora and Remal I’m surprised I got off as easily as I did. She wanted me to have to choose between saving myself and our baby, or saving Savar. Once she’d had her fill of enjoyment she had me tossed back in our cell.”

Sarah paused, going back through the notes of the previous few months. The Sunfire had been through a lot. They'd crashed, now been kidnapped as that was only recent events.

"You're a counsellor, how many patients have you helped process the last few months with?" Sarah asked carefully, leading her way into the guts of the session.

“A lot” Aurora offered a wry smile. “They needed me.”

"And who have you spoken with about the last few months to help you process things?" The CMO questioned, her tone honest and friendly. "There's no right or wrong answer here"

“I...I’ve talked with Savar, he’s my rock. If I hadn’t had Savar to keep me going I wouldn’t be here now.” She paused. “Oh and I’m talking to you.”

"Have you spoken to any of your colleagues?" Sarah asked, trying to ensure that all angles were covered. Whilst the counsellor had mentioned speaking to Savar, the CMO thought that other options should also be explored.

“To be honest, no I haven’t” Aurora shook her head giving Sarah a somewhat guilty look.

"Any bad dreams, nightmares, anxiety or excessive fatigue? Listlessness, depression or loss of appetite?" Sarah moved through the physical markers of a disturbed mental state.

“Fatigue, yes, but not excessive” Aurora nodded. “Although I think that maybe more due to the requirements of growing a new life inside me” she smiled warmly. “No depression, definitely no loss of appetite, bad dreams...some, but I’m feeling more settled now.”

" Well that's good news" Sarah smiled warmly. She reviewed the data she had collected and compared it against Aurora's baseline physical and psychological profiles. " From what I can see, you're fit to return to duty. However I would suggest making having a chat to someone in your team on a regular basis just to make sure you're maintaining that even keel. Pregnancy can mess with your hormones and things can get overwhelming very quickly." Sarah made some notes in the file.

Aurora nodded. “I’ll do that, I’ll admit I’ve noticed my moods change pretty quickly. The silliest of things make me burst into tears!” She grinned a wry grin. “Other times I find myself angry for no reason.”

"It's mostly hormones, but as you know it can be the precursor to some psychological issues, hence why I'd like you to check in weekly with one of your staff to make sure you're travelling ok. You've been through a lot recently Aurora, that coupled with growing a new body can test the limits of even the strongest of us" Sarah said with a calm expression.

Aurora nodded. “That’s true, I promise I will check in with one of the other Counsellor’s on a weekly basis. As much as I want to get back to work, I want to do it gently.”

"In that case I clear you for return to duty, but keep it going easy for a few days ok? No rampaging through the holodeck or traipsing through the jungles okay?" Sarah signed off on the psychological report and sent it through to the Captain.

Aurora smiled the biggest smile yet. “Thank you Sarah, I promise no holodeck adventures, I’m happy just to take things easy.”

"In that case, enjoy your last day off duty. You're due to report in at 0800 hours tomorrow morning unless our intrepid Captain crashes the ship or gets everyone kidnapped again" Sarah snorted in good humour.

Aurora grinned. “Ohh I doubt that would happen, we’ve gone through the mangle enough lately. I think it’s all our turns to have a rest from calamity and disaster.” She stood ready to leave. “Thank you again Sarah, I appreciate all your help.”

"Anytime Aurora, my door is always open" the doctor rose from her chair and disabled the privacy look in her office, stepping aside so Aurora could comfortably walk past her.

Smiling Aurora nodded and headed on her way, she had the rest of the day to spend with Savar and she intended to enjoy it.

{OFF}